Last year, we decided to host a murder mystery dinner at The Flower Cottage, transforming our cozy space into Heathcliff Manor! We invited our wedding industry friends for a night of fun, allowing everyone to take a break from the hustle and bustle of event planning. After working so hard all year on others' events, we wanted to create a memorable evening where we could relax, immerse ourselves in a fictional world, and enjoy great food together. It was a time! While we’re not hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner this year, we wanted to share all of our tips in case you want to host a dinner party of your own!

The Perfect Game

For our murder mystery dinner, we found an amazing game on Amazon that we absolutely loved. One of the features we appreciated was its unique numbering system, which allows you to play the game multiple times with different outcomes. We also loved that the murderer is chosen on the night of the event, so last-minute cancellations wouldn’t ruin the setup. Just a heads up: this version of the game is a bit PG-13, so it’s not suitable for little ones!

The gameplay involves listening to a recorded introduction that sets the stage for the murder and backstory, followed by characters asking each other pre-scripted questions to uncover clues. We highly recommend designating someone to control the recording—a guest who prefers not to play a character but still wants to participate in the fun would be the ideal person for this!

The Guest List

When choosing your guest list, opt for a group of friends who won’t feel shy about getting into character. Encourage creativity with costumes and fun voices! We found that a smaller group of friends who already know each other worked best, rather than inviting couples who had never met. To keep things organized, we assigned characters to guests after receiving all RSVPs, which simplified the process and ensured everyone got a character that suited them.

The Dinner

Given the moving parts of the murder mystery game, we chose to have our dinner catered to ensure everyone could fully enjoy the experience, plus we like to treat our people!! Bistro-to-Go did a fabulous job with this! We coordinated the meal with our caterer to align the courses with different sections of the recording, allowing us to eat while listening to the unfolding drama. If catering isn’t in your plans, consider having a guest who doesn’t want to participate in the acting help out with serving food, clearing plates, and refilling drinks. A grazing table and bottles of wine on the table would also work for a more casual experience!

What You Need

Don’t forget the name tags! They’re essential for remembering who is playing which character, especially since some guests may show up in similar costumes. We also provided notebooks and pens for guests to jot down notes as the story unfolded.

How to Decorate

To create the old manor vibe of Heathcliff Manor, we hit the thrift stores! We scoured for items like vintage lamps, antique books, framed photos, lace doilies, heavy curtains, and antique china. It’s not a party without flowers—and we are wedding florists after all— so dark, moody flowers, hanging amaranthus and dried moss added a spooky touch. We even incorporated our inventory of candelabras and antique brass candlesticks, using black taper candles and crushed velvet linens for an elegant atmosphere. To elevate the mood further, we set up a low-level fog machine outside and swapped out our light bulbs for red and orange ones.

We also designated an area as the “crime scene” by taping off a door and placing an “evidence” bag filled with tissues marked with red Sharpie to mimic blood. For added fun, we created a photo op with mug shots for the characters using chalkboards and sticker letters!

A murder mystery dinner is the perfect way to let loose and enjoy a unique evening with friends, and hosting at The Flower Cottage made it even more special. We can’t wait to plan our next event filled with laughter and intrigue! If you’re interested in throwing your own murder mystery dinner, check out our Amazon list for the game and other supplies.

Here’s to more nights filled with fun and friendship at The Flower Cottage!